


Under the Cover of Darkness

by Beeholder



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: M/M, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26395525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beeholder/pseuds/Beeholder
Summary: With the danger rising in Universe 11, warriors from all over the multiverse came to help stem the rising tide of chaos. Everyone is working day and night in order to ensure the safety of the universe's citizens and exhaustion and strain are beginning to show in even the most hardened of warriors.Late one night, Hit wanders the halls of a Pride Trooper barracks, unable to sleep. And in his wanderings, he finds Jiren returning from duty.
Relationships: Hit/Jiren (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies if I mislabeled anything or didn't use the correct tags, still getting used to the site! There are likely to be continuations to this, though how many chapters it will be, I don't know at this moment.

Moving down the hall, Hit enjoyed the silence of the night. Everyone had gone to bed, enjoying a rest before returning to the endless stream of work. For him however, he stayed awake, either reading what interested him or pacing the halls of the Pride Troopers’ Headquarters. Sleep never came easy for him and it was not unusual for him to only get a few hours every night. Normally, that would be enough. His work as an assassin was not strenuous physical work and being able to accept work at his own pace allowed him to catch up on sleep when he needed to. But here, he didn’t have those luxuries and admittedly, it was starting to wear on him.

He continued his aimless meandering, stifling a sigh. Exhaustion was weighing down his limbs, muddling his thoughts. But despite that, his mind was buzzing with restless energy. For the past few days, this was a nagging sensation that weighed on him and he couldn’t place the source of this uneasy feeling. He, like many others, was asked to aid the Troopers with a massive unexplained wave of deaths. Strange dark founts of energy were appearing all across the universe, invisible to the eye but they could all feel their unnatural chill. Given the current situation, he had attributed his uneasiness to this phenomenon. But he hadn’t been anywhere near these springs of dark energy for days. Maybe there was one nearby…? Or perhaps it was a premonition of a coming disaster? Shaking the thoughts from his head, Hit continued to wander through the halls. This was not something he wanted to dwell on when trying to relax. He’d think more on the matter when he was fully awake.

Rounding another corner, he came upon the front entrance to the building, quiet for the hour. Still, he glanced towards the doors, and froze. Stumbling through them, Jiren dripped water on the floor, completely drenched. Hit caught his gaze and Jiren stared at him for a beat, eyes blank. Eyeing him closely, Hit took a few steps closer,

“Are...you alright?” Jiren blinked a couple times before standing straight,

“...Yes…” While he forced the word out, Jiren had a difficult time standing still, wobbling slightly. Dark lines and heavy bags lined his eyes, mud and water smudging his face and uniform. Padding over to him, Hit grasped his arm, watching him carefully. Even though he was making an effort, it was clear that Jiren was tired to the point of dazed, his eyes not entirely focusing on anything. Hit shook him slightly, calling his name. Starting slightly, Jiren pulled away from him,

“Awake… I’m awake.” Blowing out a sigh, Hit shook his head,

“Barely. Go get some rest before morning comes. You only have a few hours.” Jiren nodded numbly, staring blankly off into space, listing off to one side. Quickly snatching at his arm before he fell over, Hit tugged him back into place. Unfortunately, he didn’t realize just how unsteady Jiren was on his feet and with one small tug, Jiren crashed into him. Stumbling back a few steps, Hit clutched at his limp, wet body as it slumped over him.

“Ack! G-Get a hold of yourself!”, Hit hissed, trying to put Jiren back on his feet. Trying his best to stand on his own two feet, Jiren mumbled,

“Sorry… Just very tired…” He turned to walk down the hall, but his unsteady legs veered him into a wall. Hit shook his head. The man was so exhausted that he was completely incapable of even basic motor functions. It was a wonder that he even made it back into the building. Throwing Jiren’s arm around his shoulders, Hit leaned the man against him, half leading, half carrying him down the hall.

“Come on then. Let’s at least get you to your room before you pass out in the hall.” They walked in silence, both absorbed in their own thoughts. Well, Jiren was quickly falling asleep as Hit dragged him down the hall with increasing difficulty. Watching him from the corner of his eye, Hit couldn’t deny that he was worried about him. He wasn’t surprised to see Jiren like this. The man worked himself tirelessly and he did an excellent job in hiding the toll it was taking on him. But Hit knew better; he was guilty of it himself. It was still unnerving though to see him like this. After some time, they arrived in front of Jiren’s room. Thankfully, his room wasn’t too far and after a bit of hassle at the door, Hit managed to pull Jiren inside. As they stepped into the darkness of the room, Hit moved out from underneath him, grunting,

“Alright, get some sleep.” But Jiren wrapped another arm around him, pulling him in closer into a hug. Pressing his head into his shoulder, Jiren murmured,

“Stay…” Hit flushed slightly, pushing away from him,

“E… Excuse me..?” Either he was stupidly tired himself and misheard him, or the big warrior was so delusionally tired that he wasn’t thinking. Hit got his answer as Jiren squeezed him tighter, leaning into him,

“You’re so warm and comfy… Stay with me tonight…” Hit shifted uncomfortably beneath him. 

“I’m not sure I’m entirely alright with this idea…” That was an understatement. While Jiren was fine with things now, there was no guarantee that the next morning he’d feel the same. And the man proved that he could be quite vindictive, even with the slightest provocation. The last thing he needed was to add to the stress. And to top it all off, the grip that Jiren had on him created small pangs of panic to every tip of his body. He tried to move away from him again, but Jiren held onto him, whispering,

“Please… Just tonight…” Hit could feel Jiren shaking against him, the desperateness in his voice making him squirm, “Please… Don’t leave me alone…” Alone… It was an ugly word, but one he knew all too well. It was something that haunted his life, tainted by the feeling of betrayal and abandonment. But he had gotten past that. Many years passed, he had grown up and moved on. Yet despite that, he could feel a rising urge fighting deep within himself, a strangled cry stuck in his throat.

“...Fine.”, Hit sighed. Steering Jiren into the room, Hit left him to change into dry clothes, hoping that he could manage that on his own, and sat down on the edge of the bed. This… was probably going to be a disaster come morning. But he couldn’t bring himself to leave. He fidgeted with the corner of the sheet, listening to Jiren shuffle around behind him. He’ll just have to wait for him to fall asleep before going on his way.

Feeling the bed shift, Hit peered over his shoulder, watching Jiren clamber onto the bed. It wasn’t a very big bed to begin with, only just large enough to fit the both of them. As Jiren stretched out next to him, Hit could feel the heat of his body caress his skin, making it tingle. Taking in a deep breath, he gingerly positioned himself next to him. Their faces were so close, almost uncomfortably so. Strong arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him even closer. Hit pressed his hands against Jiren’s shoulders, trying to put a little bit of distance between them.

“That’s close enough…” Jiren’s gaze slid from his as he pulled his hands away, tucking them closer to his chest. But after a moment, he rested a hand on top of Hit’s, looking up at him, eyes soft. Staring at him and then his hand, Hit gave up a heavy sigh. Fine… He guessed this was alright...

Tentatively grabbing his hand, he let his fingers weave together with Jiren’s, his hand fitting comfortably in his. The warmth was enough to cause his heart to beat a little faster. He hesitated a moment, then gently rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb. Jiren gave him a faint smile, his eyes slowly drifting closed. Watching him quietly fall asleep, curled up next to him, something tugged at Hit. He never thought about it, but he hadn’t ever seen him smile. Not like this at least. He looked… wholly content, just because he was here, cradling his hand in his. Watching him, it felt as if every nerve in his body was electrified, his whole body tingling with new energy, something in him reawakening.

Hit’s mind snapped back to reality and he shook himself. What was he thinking? Jiren had been deliriously tired and he was not much better. It wasn’t wise to take anything he did right now too seriously. This was not the time to let these little thoughts and feelings run away with him. Shaking, he forced himself to worm his hand free. He was perched on the edge of the bed, taking in slow, deep breaths, repeatedly reminding himself to get a grip. He needed to get up, to leave before Jiren woke up. But his body only tensed, not budging from its spot. His mind urged him on again and again, reminding him of all the little reasons why he should leave. But in between those thoughts were the memories of his warmth, the gentleness of his smile. It was calming and compassionate, and it rooted him to the spot. Glancing back at him, he felt the pull again, his throat tightening. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. This was a sign more than ever that he really needed to leave.

With great effort, he pushed himself from the bed and briskly made for the door. He felt his body want to linger, but he didn’t give it the chance, pushing himself through the door and closing it behind him. As soon as the lock clicked into place behind him, he stood underneath the bright hall lights, soaking in the sterile environment. He sucked in the cool air as the warmth faded from his body, his mind clearing. Wasting no time, he moved on down the hall, back towards his own room, suddenly feeling exhausted. Good, he needed the sleep right now.

Entering his small room, he crawled into his bed, ignoring how freezing the sheets were. He cocooned himself in them, burying his face into the bed. As tired as he was, his mind still whispered to him and he tossed and turned the whole night, trying to ignore it, finally settling into a restless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Soft morning light filtered in through a part in the curtains, falling across a rumpled bed. Turning from the light, Jiren buried his face into his pillow. Another morning… Not necessarily bad if it wasn't for the fact that the pale grey light was from the sun beginning to crest the horizon. It was going to be another early start and he was beginning to lose count of the number of hours he had actually slept this week. In fact, days and hours were blurring together and he was having a difficult time recalling what day it even was. Or what a night of decent sleep was like. Rolling onto his back, he closed his eyes against the light. Already, he could feel the pull of sleep on his body, the bed feeling warm, enveloping him. Minutes ticked by like seconds and as he felt himself drifting back into blissful sleep, his bedside alarm began blaring. Kicking off the sheets, he fumbled around some until he finally managed to shut it off. Groaning, he reluctantly sat up. Guess he couldn’t put off the inevitable.

Standing from the bed, he felt his body cry out, aching with the effort. He wondered how long he'd be able to keep this up. Though he guessed whether he could or not was irrelevant. There was no stop to the amount of work and he was needed everywhere to combat new threats. He couldn’t stop now even if he wanted to. Too many people were relying on him and he needed to be strong for them. Shaking himself, he repeated to himself a few times. He needed to be strong, strong, strong… Taking in a deep breath, his chest shuddered as the cool air grated against his dry throat, making it difficult to swallow. He let out a few dry coughs, deflating slightly. Rubbing his neck, he stumbled into the bathroom. He passed in front of the mirror above the sink and grimaced. Dark bags lined the underside of his eyes and his face looked hollow and empty. He gave himself another shake, turning on the tap. How he looked was hardly important.

The icy cold water sent bolts of electricity through his nerves as he dipped his hands into, scooping water to his mouth. The cool water against his burning throat ached a bit, but felt wonderfully refreshing as it passed over his parched tongue. He figured he had enough water the other night to last him the next month or two.

Last night… As soon as the words entered his head, memories flooded his mind, dropping into the pit of his stomach like a stone. Giving up a sigh, he splashed water on his face. He would have rather forgotten about it all together. All the exhaustion, the stress, everything piled onto him, and for one brief moment, he was too weak and broke. His eyes slid over to the uniform that was still hanging in the shower, water still occasionally dripping from the cuff. It was a reminder of his first mishap the other night, and unfortunately wasn’t the last.

It had been a dark night and he had been flying home, returning planet-side later than he intended. Exhausted and battle-worn, he flew over cities and wilderness alike, and it had been difficult to keep his eyes open and mind focused. The cold stinging wind did nothing to keep his mind from drifting into a black fog of sleep. As his eyelids grew heavier, closing for a few glorious moments, it felt as if the icy wind had enveloped him in a warm, comforting blanket. For a brief moment, it was like he was sleeping in the sanctuary that was his bed, far away from all the pain and horror that he had to witness daily.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t so and the fantasy was shattered as suddenly the wind turned to water. Flying takes a decent amount of concentration, something that becomes laughably easy with constant practice, almost mindless. Almost. As his mind drifted away into a black fog, he had plummeted from the sky like a giant grey boulder, crashing into a pond. Gasping and sputtering, he fished himself out of the water. After sitting there, trying to wick some of the water off him, shivering, he resumed flying back home, now soaking wet, freezing, and only marginally more awake.

He did his best to hurry back to the barracks that they had set as their temporary base, though it felt like it was ages before he got there. But walking through the doors proved to be another unfortunate moment of the night. Immediately, the oppressive smell of dust filled his nose and throat, the doors behind him closing off the outside with a low hiss. White sterile walls towered over him, threatening to crumble down on top of him. And above all else, all he could hear was a deafening silence. No one was awake, they had either taken what sleep they could or were off, trying their best to make the universe at least habitable. There wasn’t even the general hubbub of people conversing in the halls. Just dead silence.

Something began to bubble up inside him, quickly boiling over. The only thought, the only feeling that threatened to consume him was crushing loneliness… It was a cold and unforgiving feeling and he was tired of it haunting him every waking moment. Of a hole that wouldn’t ever be filled. And as much as he tried to tell himself there was no need to fill it, he desperately wanted to feel the warmth of companionship. Standing there at the sink, more memories, strange ones, began drifting through his mind. The assassin had found him, practically carrying him back to his room. His arms had felt… comforting…and the feeling of him against him drowned out the loneliness a small bit.

Vigorously shaking his head, he splashed more water on his face. That was a part of last night that he’d rather forget. It was a careless decision on his part, not to mention his thoughts on the subject were highly inappropriate and unprofessional. They all had work to do and there was no time for… whatever that was.

Jiren pushed it from his mind and busied himself with scrounging around his room for a clean uniform. Unfortunately, being constantly out in the universe, it didn’t give him a lot of time to do any sort of cleaning. Clothes were tossed about haphazardly, along with a few other effects. There wasn’t much to the room, they had only been staying here for a while and they were forced to retreat here. The same dark energy that had been appearing all over the universe had practically made the main headquarters uninhabitable. Shaking his head, he continued to root through the clothes on the floor, finally triumphantly holding up a clean uniform. Probably his last clean one, but he tried not to think too hard on that. Though… hopefully he’d get some time later to finally catch up on laundry. He slipped from his clothes, tugging the uniform on.

As he pulled his arm through a sleeve, he glanced at the bedside clock. Damnit, he’d slept in too long! The early morning meeting was in a few minutes! Zipping up the rest of his suit, he grabbed his gloves and jogged out the door. Moving down the hallways towards the conference room, his chest tightened slightly with each breath. Drawing in a deep breath, he choked back another few coughs, slowing to a walk. Each cough grated against the sides of his throat, a painful burn searing the inside of his throat. Massaging his chest, Jiren winced slightly. Strange… He felt fine yesterday, maybe a bit lethargic. There was no reason why he was suddenly having issues breathing. Perhaps the dark energy around them was having an adverse effect on his body? That would be very concerning if so. More people could be suffering from the same effects. Pondering this, he quickly continued on his way. Once Toppo had assigned everyone a set of tasks, he would share his thoughts with him.

There were already a few people gathered in the conference room, though hardly enough to cover the growing demand for aid. Some were slumped onto the table, trying to catch up on sleep, and everyone looked half dead. Hardly anyone was fit to go out into the field. A few heads turned towards him as he entered, but for the most part everyone was zoned out. Giving a silent nod to them, he sat himself away from everyone else. No one talked, simply soaking in the blissful quiet and thankful for the opportunity to not think.

He on the other hand, couldn’t keep his mind from churning. All the quiet did was make it so the thoughts in his head could speak louder, and despite his best efforts, they kept drifting towards feelings from last night. A growing empty feeling sat heavy in his chest, a feeling that despite being surrounded by people, told him he was alone.

Alone… It was such an ugly word and he had grown to hate it more as the years passed. To the others he suspected it was nothing more than time to themselves, returning to their circles of friends and family. For him, it was a constant reality. Not because they wouldn’t be there for him, but it was… complicated. There was such a large rift between him and everyone around him. And he didn’t know how to bridge it. Or if he should bridge it. His solitude was an exile that he had given himself and he was finding it hard to find reasons to lift it. Why should he? He was fine on his own, he didn’t need the companionship. He was only here with the Pride Troopers because it was Gicchin’s last wish for him and it felt right to stand by that. They were also people that like him, wanted justice for the citizens of the universe, to keep them safe from whatever threats might appear. Though what their own reasons were for this desire was not important to him. He wouldn’t call them friends, simply like-minded people that he worked with to achieve a common goal. Belmod had told him that they would only get between him and his desire for true strength, and he agreed. He didn’t need them, he was entirely capable of fighting whatever he could on his own. So it was better to not get involved with them. When he wasn’t working, he dismissed himself from whatever functions and activities they did together, and enjoyed the solitude of his own company. And he preferred that way. Yes, he did feel the tug of loneliness, a feeling that had been growing with the passing years, but it only meant that he needed to be stronger. Stronger than last night…

Before he could stop himself, more memories crashed into him. Laying there in the darkness, the heat of another person drifted across his skin, seeping into the very depths of him. The very weight of someone on the bed next to him gave him a warm feeling… Jiren froze, his heart quickening it's beat as he tried to sort through it all. He… He had asked Hit to stay the night. He mentally shook himself. No, no, he must be remembering that wrong. He had been exhausted after all and admittedly under a lot of stress, and it was simply affecting his memory. There was no way that he… that the assassin… that they…

The soft familiar creak of the door opening penetrated his mind and, thankful for the diversion from his own thoughts, Jiren welcomed the sight of Toppo limping into the room, Kasheral following close behind him. Toppo hailed everyone with a quiet good morning and gentle smile, though it was clear from the grim expression on his face there was not much to be cheery about. There were a few returned smiles and murmurs and the oppressive atmosphere lifted a bit from the room. He caught Jiren’s gaze and gave him a hearty good morning. Forcing a slight smile, Jiren nodded back at him, taking deep breaths, trying to regain some control over himself. There was no point to let his imagination and emotions run away with him. He wasn’t even positive that it did happen. And there were more important things at hand.

Toppo hobbled to the head of the table, easing himself into a seat. With a heavy sigh, he looked at the few that had gathered this morning,

“I hope everyone is coping this morning. I’m a little surprised to see this few people show for the morning shift…” There were a few confused murmurs of agreements and Kasheral grimaced, his face more worn and gaunt,

“A number of people are out of commission or had to leave early.” Toppo looked around the room again, noting who was absent.

“Ganos? Majora?” Kasheral shook his head as he flipped through a report,

“Unfortunately both have been majorly wounded and are in the infirmary.”

“Miss Ribrianne and the other Fireballs?”, Toppo sighed, pinching his brow. Kasheral gave him an apologetic look as he shook his head,

“Kankusa is also in the infirmary, and Ribrianne and Roasie were called out last night to the eastern part of the universe.”

“What about Hit?” The sound of his name made Jiren flinch a little and he berated himself for it. But despite that, he was surprised that he hadn’t come in yet. He didn’t know a lot about him, but during the time that he was here, he had proved that he was at least punctual, among other things. Kasheral’s brow furrowed as he slowly shook his head,

“He...should be here. I don’t recall hearing him leave while on watch, and he isn’t on the infirmary list.” Turning to Jiren, Toppo sighed,

“Could you please go check on him? With all the chaos, I’d hate for something to happen to someone and for no one to notice.” Forcing a curt nod, Jiren picked himself up from the table and stiffly walked to the door. Of all the people there… Of course it had to be him. Quietly exiting the room, he made his way back through the halls, gut and mind churning alike. It was an understatement that he didn’t want to do this. But it wasn’t an option to return back without him. He’d… just have to power through it. Perhaps if he just didn’t mention it… Like he said, it wasn’t anything to lose his head about. He wasn’t sure it even happened. Hit hadn’t been there when he awoke, so perhaps it had just been an odd dream? But… It felt very real and the warmth of his body against him twisted his stomach into knots. Shaking his head, he tried to ignore it. No, he wasn’t going to let this bother him. It didn’t happen, regardless of whatever asinine feelings that he dreamt up. He admitted that Hit had probably helped him to his room, but that’s where any interaction with him ended last night.

Jiren strode forward, whipping around corners, but the nauseating feeling stayed in the pit of his stomach. He tried to ignore it, attributing it to hunger or fatigue. But a thought kept coming back, hounding him. Shame, embarrassment, weakness. Despite his best efforts, all of his training, he still gave into his desires, no matter how small and harmless they might seem. He let his loneliness control him. And now he was running from that. He slowed his pace, sighing. Running and hiding from his shame was cowardly, and he should know better than give into that temptation. It would be easier to run from what was probably true, but it wouldn’t solve anything.

But what to do? At the same time, he couldn’t just admit to the assassin that he had given into his feelings and want for comfort, latching onto him for that brief moment. It was an admission that he had weaknesses, possible flaws to exploit. And he hardly trusted him with that information, even though the hitman had managed to prove himself capable of following their rules. Maybe… He could probe the hitman for information about last night, to see what he remembered. Or get his side of the story at least. Thinking of the best way to ask that, Jiren finally found Hit’s room. Unfortunately, he had absolutely no idea how to go about even starting a conversation about last night without admitting to his momentary weakness. He tentatively raised a fist to his door and knocked. There was a beat of nothing, only bits of some broken coughing and hacking on the other side of the door. Finally, the door swung open and with bleary eyes, Hit stared out at him.

There were a few full seconds before either of them spoke and it felt like eons to Jiren. But it was clear that his arrival did have a clear effect on the assassin. As he had opened the door, Jiren caught the flash of recognition in his eyes, his body tensing and he swore there was a slight blush to his face. But whatever he saw quickly faded as his face hardened, his voice cold and biting,

“Yes?” Jiren’s mind struggled with thought, words escaping him. Taking a moment, he breathed a low sigh,

“The meeting.” Hit stared at him for a second, obviously having trouble thinking himself,

“What?”

“The morning conference, where you are assigned missions and tasks. You’re late.” Realization clicked in and Hit quickly ducked back into the room, mumbling that he would be ready in a moment, almost slamming the door behind him. As soon as the door banged close, Jiren let out a shaky exhale. Well… That wasn’t too bad. Neither of them had brought it up, though he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Hit’s reaction had surprised him a bitl. Part of him had expected him to be quite nasty about the whole affair, but he only seemed… embarrassed. Strange, considering that it was he that asked the assassin to stay in the first place. Granted, it was stranger still that he had even accepted his request. Hit didn’t seem the person to leave him to fend for himself in the entryway, but he hardly struck him as the kind of person that would cozy up to anyone. He was entirely professional and everything was business to him, something that Jiren could respect, however misguided his morals were. Before, he would have assumed that he had some disgusting and deplorable reason but now, he wasn’t quite so sure.

When the assassin first arrived here, he was not very well received by anyone, least of himself. As far as Jiren was concerned, he had seen all he needed to during the Tournament. Whatever honor the hitman claimed he had was worthless in his eyes. The weight of his title and reputation was not taken lightly and for a while, he wasn’t even allowed to leave the barracks without some sort of escort and he absolutely couldn’t go on patrol alone. Which Jiren suspected he found highly irritating, but didn’t try to fight their reasoning. Instead, he quietly endured their overbearing mistrust and worked tirelessly like the rest of them. Even Jiren had been paired with him at one point. Much to his surprise, Hit was far more reliable than he gave him credit for, perhaps even likable. That day had been bleak, the both of them doing their best to stay a step ahead of the carnage. Towns were destroyed, people lost, and the two of them...

Jiren was yanked from his thoughts as the door swung open next to him. Hit stepped out, his eyes piercing into him for a brief moment, before sliding away, glancing down the hall. Wordlessly, the two of them set off down the hall. Jiren still found the silence to be uncomfortable, but with no idea, or admittedly no real desire, to break it, let it hang between them. Peering at him from the corner of his eye, it was clear that the assassin was as beaten down as the rest of them. His eyes were sunken into a thinning face, lined with heavy dark rings. Despite staggering slightly, he did his best to walk tall and upright. It was clear to Jiren that whatever happened last night, the man hadn’t caught much sleep. Resisting the urge to sigh, Jiren thought back on the small crowd of fighters waiting for them, equally worn and at their limits. How much longer could they go on? How much more could they fight? How much more could he fight? Before it could take root in his mind, he buried that thought. No, he could keep going, he was nowhere near his limits. He would fight for as long as it took.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and hope it was enjoyable! 
> 
> I apologize for the abrupt ending, I'm still trying to figure out how best to end these and how long to write them. I still don't know the specific number of chapters this will be, but expect this to be pretty long!
> 
> Big, ginormous thank you to the person that proof read and gave very insightful critique! Seriously, I owe you my life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Night has fallen on another day and Toppo begins to wonder if they have what it takes to make it through this dire situation. Reflecting on what has come to pass and their options, he knows that they have their back against a wall.

Evening was beginning to settle around the barracks, the shadows growing deep along the battered walls of the old building. Staring out the window, Toppo watched as the sun began dipping below the horizon. He guessed they should be grateful that they were able to see another sunset, but it was a bittersweet thought considering the many lives that wouldn’t. Rubbing at his brow, he heaved a deep sigh. Things weren’t looking much better for the rest of the universe. This mysterious energy that had appeared brought with it strange, hostile creatures and unnaturally bizarre phenomena. And sometimes they were the least of their worries.

There were too many strange things, things that they were scrambling to address. Cities, even sometimes whole planets, would inexplicably vanish, only to appear to be somewhere else in the universe. Some planets had been moved far from any stars and were shrouded in complete darkness, their surfaces freezing over. Others shifted too close to other celestial bodies and collided with them, causing untold destruction on the planet’s surface. Some of them disappeared completely and had yet to be found.

Among people and places disappearing, there were strange structures materialized out of thin air. Giant monoliths that towered high above the ground, both rugged and rough hewn, but intricately carved along every surface. It was unknown what their purpose was, or even what they were made of, though they had a sinuous appearance at places, the carvings shifting in small, repeated patterns, almost akin to motions of breathing.

They were filled with the strange energy that permeated their universe, but strangely enough did not seem to be the origin of it. Though, strangely enough, the energy emanating from the pillars was not always adverse in its effects. There were definitely a number of them that turned the ground to smoldering ash or some black tar-like substance, but there was almost an equal number of them that brought forth geysers of clean, almost rejuvenating water, meadows and dense forests of beautiful flora and fauna. People flocked or were guided to these areas as they seemed to almost ward off some of the more dangerous things. They still had to monitor these places in case the giant pillars seemed to turn on them, but at least it was a safe enough place for the time being. At least compared to everywhere else.

Strange monsters, abhorrent creatures crawling from some unknown hell littered their home. Most of them were some twisted collection of limbs and objects, a chill rattling his spine as he remembered some of the things that they had encountered. A wreath of fleshy tendrils erupting from the face of a benign clock, the numbers on its face replaced with a myriad of eyes, bulging and weeping. Giant mouths atop pairs of legs, screaming and screeching dark unknown words that bored into minds, their shrieking echoing through one’s skull so it was the only thing one could hear, could even think of. Some he couldn’t even call ‘creatures’. One of the more terrifying and destructive things to come from the chaos was a strange writhing mass of what seemed to be condensed energy that emanated both an all consuming darkness and blinding light. There were some vague allusions to something living within the mass… A distorted face, a hand clawing at the air, as if someone was trapped within.

A chill crawled up Toppo’s spine as he remembered the first time he saw this… thing. He had landed his ship among the buildings of a sprawling city, responding to a distress signal he received from the inhabitants. The message had been garbled and mostly unintelligible, but the tone and intent was clear. It had been a cry for help. But when he arrived, everything seemed as it should. As he approached, he could see people and vehicles bustling and flying about buildings, unperturbed by any notion of danger. Toppo tried to grab the attention of one the civilians passing by him, but he was completely ignored. Then the entire area fell under deep shadow. Like swarms of locusts, waves upon waves of these… things descended upon the buildings, the people, everything within sight. He lunged forward, trying to grab what few civilians he could before being forced to flee, but his hands passed through them like they were shadows themselves. Hundred and thousands of figures were swallowed up, completely unconcerned. It wasn’t until they had succumbed to the things that Toppo heard a cacophony of their screams as he flew out of reach.

And then, it was gone. The swarm had disappeared as quickly as it appeared. But that was the same for everything. The city, the buildings, the people… There was absolutely no trace that they had been there. Just an empty field filled with nothing but dirt and clouds of dust caught on desolate winds as far as the eye could see. His ship had been the only thing that was spared. At first, he wondered if he had simply imagined it all, hallucinations brought on from the hell that has descended upon them. But multiple people claimed to have heard the distress call too, and there was definitely supposed to be a town there. And the screams were definitely real… Desperately searching the area, he found no survivors, no one left. An empty feeling sat heavy in his chest and Toppo rubbed the sweat forming from his brow. He should have done something, blasted away at the tidal wave of writhing black mass, anything! Something to stop from devouring the town. Even if they only seemed to be shades, there could have been a few survivors sequestered away somewhere. Even if it was just a few lives, they could have been saved. So many were dying or missing, it was impossible to keep track. And they were fighting a losing battle. The small bit of aid they had received from a few of the other universes hadn’t been enough. Only three had responded and only with a small handful of warriors each, less than what had shown for the Tournament. It was beginning to look like their only hope lay with Lord Belmod and Lord Khai, and that hardly sat well with him.

Rubbing at his temples and groaning, Toppo gingerly leaned back in his chair, pain ricocheting off every nerve in his leg. His last foray into the battlefield had nearly cost him his life and he had been lucky that only his leg had been partially crushed. Even with access to advanced medicine, his leg was still in bad shape and he couldn’t stand on it for very long. But that didn’t stop him for doing anything he could to help. Working tirelessly, he ensured that everyone flying out knew everything that there was to know about their current situation. He hoped that even giving them some information, no matter how small it was, might make it easier to prepare for whatever they had to face. In the end though, each mission was a mystery. No one knew what was the issue, what new horrors would crawl from the depths of darkness. They all had to go in blind and hope for the best. Thankfully, they were capable warriors and none of them had met their end here, though it had definitely been close for some.

Toppo shook himself, turning towards a large screen. He desperately needed a distraction and though work was hardly what he needed, it needed to be done. The dim screen flickered on, displaying all the various documents and reports that he received daily and he settled in to read. Various scout and field reports, none of them promising or uplifting. Lists upon lists of casualties and damages done to ships and buildings. More lists detailing the status of those who were injured or otherwise incapacitated. Sorting through them all, he tried not to be disheartened by the almost constant feed of grim news. There were a few pleasant tidings however, a welcomed and blessed sight. A few cities were safely evacuated before any harm had come to them and people that had been missing were found alive and well. It was good to see that some of their efforts had not been in vain.

But the good news was short-lived. There were also numerous reports of fighters within their ranks becoming sick. Already a few were bound to hospital beds from colds and other common illnesses, and more were collapsing from exhaustion and stress. With so few fighters, they couldn't afford to have any more become ill. In any other situation, the ill would be looked after in the hospital that they had within the headquarters. But as it stood, there was only a small area that had to be converted to a makeshift infirmary and there wasn't any room left with all those who were severely injured. Leaning against his desk, Toppo buried his face in his hands. They all needed rest, to distance themselves from the horror they witnessed daily, to piece themselves back together. But so many were depending on them, they were the most effective defense the universe had. Even losing a few warriors would mean that areas would go unprotected, and the universe was still struggling to gather people into safe locations.

He sat there, minutes ticking by as the emptiness grew heavier. Either decision would result in sacrifices and he couldn’t bear to choose between either. The best they could do was compromise on the situation, but would that really solve anything? There were a few that needed the break more, Jiren being one of them. Being the strongest and fastest they had, he was able to cover more ground and take on more work, but he was still just one person. It was clear to Toppo that the long hours that he took upon himself were quickly beginning to wear him down. It was only a matter of time before he cracked. And there were others that were not far behind… But taking them off-duty to rest would prove disastrous, even if it was just Jiren. Wracking his brain on what could they do, his thoughts were disturbed by a brilliant flashing light. Looking up, he folded his hands upon the desk, stifling a heavy sigh,

“Good evening…” The light from the display was just enough of a glow to illuminate the three figures standing by the door, their faces almost completely lost in deep shadow. The Gods… He had been expecting them, hoping that might be able to shed some light on the situation. If this was something truly unnatural to the universe, they were their best bet to uncover the cause of it. Belmod stepped forward, Marcarita following close behind him as he took the seat opposite of Toppo, draping himself over it, grunting,

“Hey, you asked for this meeting, don’t act as if we’re intruding.” Shutting off the screen, Toppo clicked on the overhead lights from his seat,

“My apologies… It's been a long and hard week.” Khai gave him a small nod and moved to stand next to Belmod, fidgeting the cuff of his sleeve,

“I’ve been watching from my realm… The entire universe is under siege.” Grimacing, Toppo leaned forward,

“Have these creatures entered the realm of the Gods at all? Do you know anything about them? About what is happening?”

“The Kaioshin realm hasn’t been touched yet, though I fear it will only be a matter of time. I… I have never seen anything like this, or of this magnitude. Looking through old texts and scripts left by my predecessors, I can’t find any mention of something like this ever happening.”

“But you fear that it is strong enough to breach even the world of the Kais?”

“This energy… It’s… I can’t explain it, but it is powerful, stronger than a God’s. And it's…” Khai shivered, folding his arms across his chest. While the rest was left unsaid, Toppo knew what he meant. Gesturing to Belmod, he looked at him, pleading,

“Have you learned anything?” Throwing up his hands, Belmod clicked his tongue in disgust,

“Nothing. Destroyers don’t usually have the habit of documenting anything and those who did, never discussed some sort of universe ending event. Talking to the other Destroyers has proved rather fruitless as well.” Turning to Marcarita, Belmod gestured exasperatedly, “Does any of this ring any bells to you?” From the moment that they arrived, Marcarita had silently observed the conversation, her face placid and calm, unperturbed by the situation. Upon Belmod addressing her, she tapped a slender finger against the side of her staff as she looked thoughtfully at the ceiling,

“My, my, can’t say that it does. This is indeed all very strange, yes.” All of them sat in silence, soaking that in. Toppo was hoping that they had at least something, anything. But even Marcarita knew nothing… A shred of fear that had been festering in him, exploded to every tip of his body, his heart sinking faster and faster. They were facing some sort of cosmic horror and were quickly losing to the battle with it. For all they knew, it was only a matter of days before there was nothing left. Nobody, no home, nothing. They were all to perish here, powerless to stop it. It was all pointless… Toppo forced himself to take in a deep breath. He couldn’t give into fear now. There were millions counting on them. They couldn’t give up yet, it was still too early to decide their fate, to give up. They still had options. Purging the fear from himself, he reminded himself why they were fighting, that he wasn’t alone. They would get through this. After composing himself a bit, Toppo eyed the three of them, twisting a lock of smooth white hair from his mustache,

“Is there any way that Omni Kings might help?” Both Belmod and Khai flinched at the mention of the tiny emperors, warily glanced at each other.

“...I’m not sure that is a wise idea…”, Belmod muttered, shifting uncomfortably. Khai hesitated a moment, looking to Marcarita. She simply gave a small shake of her head and Khai sighed,

“I suppose that the Tournament of Power was a clear indication that they hardly cared for the fates of the universes.” Toppo nodded, he hadn’t thought they would, but it was worth inquiring about all the same. If anything, it might be their last alternative. Not a pleasant thought considering what they might define as ‘saving the universe’. Pushing that horrifying thought from his mind, Toppo continued on,

“Are there at least other universes that are willing to send warriors?” That brought about another heavy silence, to which Toppo raised a brow at, “No one else is willing to come?” Belmod slumped further into his chair, grunting,

“Trust me when I say they are all entirely stubborn and self-serving. None of them would send warriors here, willingly that is. They’ll want something in return. The three that I did talk into sending help have already made it very clear that they expect as much.”

“Alright then, what would they want? We’re not in much of a position to barter.”

“Nothing much from the universe I expect, but they’re going to expect ME to return the favor later on. And I don’t like owing favors to the other gods.” Narrowing his eyes, Toppo silently gripped the edge of the desk, trying to keep himself from yelling. But before he could even open his mouth to say anything, Khai glared venomous daggers at the clown, practically hissing his name,

“Belmod. You won’t be in much of a position to do anything if our universe is driven to ruin. And need I remind you… Even if you are left untouched by this, if the universe doesn’t meet the Omni Kings’ standards, it will be erased. And we will go with it.” Narrowing his eyes, Belmod curled a lip in a low growl,

“Thank you Khai, I hardly need a reminder.” They gave each other a hard glare before Belmod finally turned his gaze to Toppo, giving up a disgruntled sigh, “We’ll inquire about more fighters. I wouldn’t hold my breath though. A number of the universes that we asked the first time didn’t even answer our requests, there’s no guarantee that they’ll do so this time.” There was a slight amount of hesitation where Toppo sat there chewing on his lip. Knowing Belmod, it was likely he might be the issue. Yes, he was civil and quite articulate, but he suspected that the other Gods hardly trusted one another and Belmod was hardly the type that warranted a lot of trust.

“Perhaps they might respond better if I asked them?”, Toppo mused, watching Belmod carefully. The god narrowed his eyes slightly, but made no retort.

“That isn’t a bad idea. I can come with you too, and between the two of us, we’re sure to convince more warriors to help us.” Belmod snapped his gaze over to Khai, who chimed in, nodding and smiling gratefully. Not giving the Destroyer a chance to reject the idea, Toppo heartily agreed to the idea. With some luck, this would be the stroke of good fortune they desperately needed. Perhaps this could even turn the tide in their battle and at this point, all they could do was try.

The two of them discussed the particulars, all the while they could feel Belmod’s gaze silently piercing into them. Promising to return soon once he got a few things in order, Khai left with Belmod and Marcarita in another brilliant flash of light.

Once they were gone, Toppo slumped in his chair slightly, feeling exhausted from the brief visit. It had been clear by Belmod’s sour glances towards the two of them that he did not appreciate being slighted. But as far as Toppo was concerned, this wasn’t the time to be petty and bitter and he hoped that Belmod had enough sense to see that in the future. But that wasn’t the only thing that was nagging at him.

Khai was doing all he could, but there was something to Belmod’s demeanor that was… off putting. While the universe was practically dying around him, he acted cold and unbothered by the destruction around him… Did he know something? Toppo shook himself, gingerly rising from his chair, his leg stiff from sitting so long. Perhaps he was thinking too much into it. Belmod was a God of Destruction after all, surely he was unphased at seeing it. Still… Toppo knew that games that he played, and his rules often favored himself. It was something he had seen firsthand. He just hoped that he had enough sense and humanity left to understand what was at stake this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! As you could tell, this was a side chapter of sorts, explaining more about what was going on, cause I am a doofus and just jumped in, feet first. So if you were wondering what in the world was happening, this chapter explains most of it.
> 
> In all honestly, I don't know what I'm doing and am making this up as I go, so I'm real sorry if things are off and there are some holes! I will do my best to fill them in as I go!
> 
> Big thank you to the person that helps me work out a lot of these ideas and does a lot of proof reading! I will never stop thanking you, your support and help really does mean a lot!


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